Bottle filling machine



April 22, 1941. H. A. HARDER BOTTLE FILLING MACHINE Filed Aug. 18, 19395 Sheets-Sheet l g FdS/F 2,/ Mmm/eq f IIIIIIIIIIIIII 'IU E mw www DM, 8Hmm. AMA Ed e Hmm MF B April 22,

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April 22, 1941.

H. A. HARDER 2,239,385

BOTTLE FILLING MACHINE Filed Aug. 18, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 nllllllmlr'vulllmlv Ummm-wl @mi/eng@ 5577777577 A. Harder Patented Apr. 22, 1941UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BOTTLE FILLING MACHINE Herman A. Harder,Milwaukee, Wis.

Application August 18, 1939, Serial No. 290,760 vis Claims. (C1. 22e-96) from the bottom of the tank, and individual bottle supportingplatforms on which the bottles are positioned to be raised intocooperative relationship with the ports.

Such bottle filling machines are used extensively in dairies for fillingmilk bottles, and in such installations it is customary to convey theempty bottles to the machine on an endless conveyor, and toconvey thelled bottles in a similar mannerv to a bottle capper from which theytravel to a packaging station to be placed in` cases.

Speed is an important factor in equipment of this character, especiallyin large dairies, and While bottle filling machines heretofore in usehave functioned satisfactorily as long as the equipment was` not run attoo high a speed, it was found that the means employed for raising thebottles into operative engagement with the the bottle supportingplatforms in a bottle iiiini'g machine of the character describedwherein the parts are so designed as to obviate the necessity forlubrication, especially at the external parts of the mechanism.

Another object of this invention is to simplify the design of theplatform raising and lowering mechanism, and thereby reduce the numberof parts required.

With the above and other objects in View which will appear as thedescription proceeds, this invention resides in the novel construction,cornbination and arrangement of partssubstantially as hereinafterdescribed, and more particularly defined by the appended claims, itbeing understood that such changes in the precise embodiment of thehereindisclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of theclaims.

The accompanying drawings illustrate one complete example` of thephysical embodiment of the invention constructed in accordance with thebest mode so far devised for the practical applivalved discharge portsand for lowering the filled i bottles, required so much angular motionthat it i cut short the time for filling the bottles, and thus limitedthe speed at which the machines could be run.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a bottle fillingmachine having improved means for raising and lowering the bottlesupporting platforms by which this function is effected in a shorterperiod of time so that more ofthe cycle of the filling machine can bedevoted to the actual filling of the bottle.

More specically it is an object of this invention to provide a bottlefilling machine wherein the bottle supporting platforms are raised andlowered by direct acting mechanism incorporating an actuator having acrank motion asV distinguished from past constructions in which thebottle supporting platforms were raised and lowered by cams and camfollowers;

In addition toV the objection of entailing a rather wide rangeof angularmotion to' effect raising and lowering of the platforms, these pastconstructions involving the use of cams and cam cation of the principlesthereof, and in' which:

Figure l is a top plan `View of a bottle iilling machine constructed inaccordance withv this invention, parts thereof being broken away and insection;

Figure 2 is a front View of that portion of the machine involving thebottle supporting platforms and the means for raising and lowering them;

Figure 3 is a detail sectional view through the means for lowering theplatforms;

Figure'4 is a View similar to Figure 3, but showing the manner in whichthis means is rendered inoperative in the event of previous actuation ofthe platform; and

Figure 5 is a detail view illustrating a slightly modified manner ofconnecting the bottle supports with their actuating means.

Referring now particularlyto the accompanying drawings in which likenumerals indicate like parts, the numeral 5 designates the base of themachine upon which a carrier E is mounted to rotate about a fixedvertical axis. Above this carrier is a tank or container 1 which turnswith the carrier and is vertically adjustable to accommodate bottles ofdifferent heights. The manner in which the carrier is driven and thesupport for the tank form no part of this invention, and

therefore, have not been illustrated.

Depending from the bottom of the tank or container are valved dischargeports 8 arranged circumferentially about the lower periphery of the tankand beneath each discharge port andv in line therewith is a bottlesupporting platform 9. These bottle supporting platforms areindependently vertically movable to raise bottles into operativeengagement with the discharge ports 8 during which time the valves ofthe ports are opened to remain open until the bottle is filled and theplatform descends.

Each bottle supporting platform comprises a fiat top Ill upon which thebottle rests and a depending box-like sleeve IIslidable on an upstandingsupport I2 fixed to the carrier 6. The mechanism for raising andlowering the platforms is of novel design and permits complete raisingand lowering with a minimum angular travel of the carrier.

This mechanism comprises an actuator I3 rotatably mounted on the carrierto have a cranklike oscillatory motion, and a. connectingrod I4connecting the actuator with the sleeve Ill of its platform. Theconnecting rod I4 is connected to the actuator by means of a pineccentrically carried by the actuator (see Figure 4). In this manner, ahalf turn of the actuator raises or lowers the platform, as will beclear from Figure 2.

The motion of the actuator is limited to slightly more than one hundredand eighty degrees by a fixed pin I 5 against which the end of theconnecting*I rod at its point of attachment to the actuator abuts whenthe platform is raised and the engagement of the inner `curved surfaceof a bendv I6 in the connecting rod with the hub of the actuator, whichoccurs when the actuator is in the position it occupies when theplatform is lowered.

A at spring I1 anchored to a bracket I3 fixed to the upper end portionof the platform sleeve and bearing against the side of the connectingrod serves to yieldingly hold the actuator in either of its limits ofmovement.

A coiled compression spring I9 encircling the stem of the connecting rodis conned between the undersurface of the bracket I8 and a shoulder onthe connecting rod to yieldingly urge the platform upwardly and providethe necessary spring tension for holding the bottle firmly against thegasket of the discharge port. In the lowered positions of the platformthe action of this spring I9 is limited by a stop in the form of acrosspin 2| through the upper end of the connecting rod contacting thetop of the bracket I8, it being understood that the connecting rod movesfreely through a hole in the bracket.

If desired, the stop on the connecting rod,

which takes the thrust of the spring, may be' adjustable to therebyprovide adjustment in the effective length of the connecting rod for thepurpose of making the height of the platforms adjustable. One manner ofobtaining this adjustment is illustrated in Figure 5 wherein the upperend of the connecting rod is longitudinally bored and tapped to receivea stud 2l', the head of Vwhich serves the same purpose as the crosspin2l.

The series of bottle supporting platforms in effect constitutes anendless conveyor onto which bottles are deposited at a loading station,indicated generally by the numeral 22, and from which they are removedat an unloading station, indicated generally by the numeral 23. Theseloading and unloading stations are in eiect transfer devices and consistof rotatable star wheels properly timed to move bottles onto and off ofthe supporting platforms as the machine operates. The star wheels areremovable from their driving shafts which are housed in hollow posts 24xed on the base so that wheels whose pockets are of a size correspondingto the bottles being filled, may be used.

The bottles are presented to the loading station 22 by a conveyor 25which also receives the filled bottles and carries them to the cappingmachine (not shown). A guard 26 extending over the conveyor 25cooperates with the star wheels to effect this transfer at the loadingand unloading stations. The guard, like the star wheels, is removable'to compensate for differences in bottle sizes.

The actuators I3 are preferably in the form of gears and their teethtravel in a path to engage a rack 21 mounted on the pillar 24 of theloading station to effect elevation of the platforms, and to mesh withanother relatively stationary rack 28 mounted from the pillar or post 24of the unloading station to effect descent of the platforms.

The rack 21 is attached to its pillar or post in any suitable manner asby a bracket having a flange overlying the lower attaching ange of thepillar to have the securing cap screws pass through it as well asthrough the flange of the pillar. It is rigid and engages the actuatorgears at the underside thereof to impart a counterclockwise rotation tothe actuators as they travel past the rack. Y

The rack 28 is mounted in a manner similar to that of the rack 21, buthas a hinged support 29 by which it is connected with its supportingbracket 30. This rack is positioned to engage the actuator gears at thetop and imparts a clockwise rotation thereto as the actuators pass therack.

Inasmuch as the `actuators have a definite range of rotation, it ofcourse follows that some means must be provided to render the rack 28inoperative in the event an actuator gear has already been rotated' tothe position it occupies when its platform is lowered. This is sometimesdone by the operator to prevent the loss of milk in the event animperfect bottle reaches the filling machine.

To this end, each actuator gear has a cam 3| which strikes a cam-face 32on the rack 28 to swing the same on its hinged support against thetension of a spring 33 in the event the actuator gear is in the saidposition it occupies when its associated platform is lowered.

'Ihe manner in which the coacting cam faces function to prevent meshingengagement between the rack 28 and the actuator gears is clearly shownin Figures 3 and 4.

Inasmuch as the rack 21 is reached by the actuator gears only 'afterthey have passed the rack 28, no necessity exists for preventing meshingengagement at this point.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, it will be readily apparent that this invention materiallyimproves the construction of bottle lling machines of the typedescribed, and allows higher operating speeds by allowing a greaterrange of the operating cycle for the actual filling of the bottles. Onlythree of the bottle supporting platforms are involved in the raising andlowering function at any one time in the sixteen valve machineillustrated. All of the remaining bottle supporting platforms are intheir operative raised positions. Consequently, this invention providesan increase in the filling capacity approximately twenty-four per centigreater than that ff previous similar bottlefillingmachin'es. f Anothervery important advantage achieved through the present invention 4is thatthe'bottles valong a definedpath; a bottle supportingplatform movablehorizontally with the discharge port and movable vertically to carry abottle to and from operative engagement'with thev discharge port; arotatable gear member movable horizontally with the platform; "a linkhaving one end eccentrically connectedto the gear member and its otherend connected-with the platform; and stationary rackspositionedatopposite sides of the gear member with their toothedsurfaces engageable with the teeth of the gear member as the gear membermoves horizontally for imparting rotation to the gear member andvertical reciprocal motion to the platform.

2. In a bottle filling machine: a bottle supporting platform; means formoving the platform along a defined path; said platform being verticallymovable to carry a bottle to and from filling position; a rotatablewheel member movable with the platform; a connection between said wheelmember and the platform, whereby rotation of the wheel member raises andlowers the platform; and a vpair of stationary members mounted one belowand the other above'the wheel member, each having surfaces adapted forrolling engagement with the "periphery of the rotatable wheel member asAsaid wheel member moves with the platform for effecting rotation of thewheel member. '-f

3. In a bottle filling machine; a movable carrier; a plurality of bottlesupporting'platform on the carrier to be moved thereby along a definedpath, said bottlesupporting platforms being vertically movable to carrybottles to and from filling positions; a wheel member mounted on thecarrier adjacent to each of the platforms, each oscillatable about afixed axis; means connecting each platform with its respective wheelmember in a manner whereby oscillation of said Wheel member in onedirection raises the platform, and oscillation in the opposite directionlowers the platform; and spaced stationary means cooperable with saidwheel members and engageable with the periphery of the wheel members atopposite sides thereof so as to produce a rolling engagement between thestationary means and the wheel members as the wheel members move alongwith the carrier for effecting oscillation of the wheel members, firstin one direction and then in the other direction.

4. In a bottle filling machine: a plurality of bottle supportingplatforms; means for advancing the platforms recurrently along a definedpath; means for raising and lowering the bottle supporting platforms tocarry bottles to and from filling positions, said means comprising, awheel member for each platform traveling with the platforms; meansconnecting each platform with its wheel member so that rotation of theWheel member in one 'direction raises the` p1atform,'and rotation ofvthe wheel vmember in the opposite direction lowers the platform; andspaced stationary driving means cooperable with the wheel 'members toeffect a rolling engagement therebetween to rotate each wheel memberfirst in `one direction and `then inthe other direction yas the wheelmemlbers move therepas't.

5. In a 'bottle filling machine having a `carrier rotatable about" avertical axis and having a plurality of `valved ports rotatable with thecarrier: abottle supporting platform mounted on the carrier beneath eachport; said platforms being vertically movable to raise bottles intooperative engagement with'the ports, and to lower the same after beingfilled; means for automatically raising and lowering the platformscomprising, a toothed wheel member for each -platform rotatably mountedon the carrier; means connecting each platform with its respec- -tivetoothed wheel member in a manner whereby rotation of the wheel member inone direction raises'the platform, and rotation thereof in the oppositedirection lowers the platform; and

`spaced stationary racks positioned with their teeth to be engaged bythe teeth of the rotatable toothed wheel members as they are moved alongby the carrier, one of said stationary racks being engalgeable with therotatable toothed Wheel members at one side of their axes of rotation,andthe other stationary rack being engageable with the rotatable toothedwheel members at the opposite sides of their axes of rotation to effectrotation of said wheel members first in one direction and then in theother direction.

`6. In a bottle filling machine of the character described: `a bottlesupporting platform; means for moving said platform along a definedpath; said platform being mountedv to be raised and lowered as it movesalong said path; a rotatable gear movable along with the platform; aconnection between said gear and the platform whereby rotation of thegear in one direction raises the platform, and rotation thereof in theopposite direction lowers the platform; a stationary rack normally inposition to have the gear mesh therewith as it moves along to impartrotation to the gear in one direction; and means for moving said rackout ofthe path of the gear in the event said gear has already beenrotated to the position impartedthereto by coaction with the rack.

7. In a device of the character described: a gear mounted to rotate onits axis; means for carrying the gear along a defined path; means forrestraining rotation of the gear to a range between predeterminedlimits; a stationary rack normally in the path of the gear to meshtherewith and rotate the gear to one of its limits as the gear movesalong its defined path; and means for moving the rack out of the path ofthe gear in the event said gear has been rotated to said limit prior toreaching the rack.

8. In a device of the character described: a

rotatable gear movable along a defined path; means for limiting rotationof the gear to a range between two extremes; a relatively stationaryrack; a movable support for the relatively stationary rack normallypositioning the rack in the path of the gear to be engaged thereby asthe gear advances along its path, to thereby effect rotation of the gearfrom one of its limits of rotation to the other; and cooperating meanson the gear and the rack operable to move the rack out of the path ofthe gearin the event .'said gear has been rotated from its -rst`mentioned limit of rotation 'prior to reaching the rack. f

9. `In a device of the character described: a rotatable gear movablealong a defined path; means for limiting rotation of the gear to a rangebetween two extremes; a relatively stationary rack; a movable supportfor the relatively stationary rack normally positioning the rack in thepath of the gear to be engaged thereby as the gear advances along itspath, to thereby eiect rotation of the gear from one of its limits ofrotation to the other; and cooperating means on the rack and the gearengageable to move the rack out of the path of the gear in the eventsaid gear has been rotated to its second mentioned position prior toreaching the rack.

10. In a device of the character described: a rotatable gear movablealong a defined path; a relatively stationary rack; a hinged support forthe rack; a spring yieldingly holding the rack in a position at whichits teeth are aligned with the teeth of the gear moving along itsdefined path so that normally passage of the gear past the rack eiects apredetermined rotation of the gear; and means on the gear engageableWith a part of the rack to swing the rack to a position at which itsteeth are out of line with the teeth of the gear in the event the gearhas been rotated previously to its reaching the rack vto substantiallythe position to which it is moved by coaction with the rack.

11. In a device of the character described: a series of articlesupporting platforms movable along a dened path and each mounted to movevertically to raise and lower articles positioned thereon; a wheellikeactuating member connected with each platform to move therewith, saidactuating members being mounted to rotate with a crank motion; a linkconnecting each actuating member with its platform and so disposed withrelation to the crank motion of the actuating member as to be held inits `raised -position by the actuating member moving slightly beyondcenter; and spaced stationary elements mounted in the path of theactuating members to have rolling engagement with the periphery of eachactuating member at opposite sides thereof as said actuating membersmove along their dened path, whereby said actuating members are turnedfrom one position to another to raise and lower their platforms.

12. In combination: a movable carrier; an upright support on saidcarrier; an article supporting platform guided for vertical motion onsaid yupright support; a Wheellike actuating member mounted near thebottom of the upright support and rotatable with a crank motion; a linkconnecting the actuating member with the platform, whereby rotation ofthe actuating member raises and lowers the platform; means for definingthe limits of rotation for the actuating member so that the platform isheld in a raised or lowered position; stationary means in the path ofthe actuating member adapted to have rolling engagement with theperiphery of the actuating member at one side thereof for turning theactuating member in one direction to cause one motion of the platform;and other stationary means mounted in the path of the actuating memberto have rolling contact with the periphery of the actuating member atthe other side thereof to cause an opposite rotation of the actuatingmember to move the platform in the opposite direction.

13. In a bottle iilling machine: a movable carrier; an upright supporton the carrier; a bottle supporting platform slidably mounted on theupright support for vertical motion to carry a bottle thereon to andfrom a raised filling position; a wheellike actuator mounted on thecarrier adjacent to the upright support and having a rotary crank-likemotion; a link connecting the platform with the actuator so thatrotation of the actuator raises and lowers the platform; means mountedto have successive rolling engagement with the periphery of the actuatorat opposite sides of its axis of rotation for imparting cranklikerotation to the actuator as it moves with the carrier to cause elevationand descent of the platform; a spring interposed between the link andthe platform at all times yieldingly urging the platform upwardly; meansdefining the limits of rotation of the actuator; and a spring operableto yieldingly hold the actuator at either of its limits of rotation.

HRMAN A. HARDER.

